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2015’s ‘The Epic’ clocked in at almost three hours and remains one of the most remarkable debuts of the decade, making no concessions to the potential listener and opting instead to simply array itself magnificently and wait for people to make sense of it. Those that took the time were slow to relinquish their newfound fondness for rhapsodising about an artist who could capture a delicious intensity on record and initiate those fearful of the genre into numerous corners of the jazz world.

Alongside such company, ‘Harmony Of Difference’ is a mere slip of a release, termed an EP for barely exceeding 30 minutes, but much more substantial than that mantle implies. Intended as a neat musical metaphor for the joy of human diversity, these six tracks are all interrelated, with the concluding thirteen-and-a-half-minute piece, ‘Truth’, incorporating aspects of all that has gone before. And what comes before is quite a nifty genre primer for the uninitiated, hopping giddily across eras and styles with the sort of dexterity that will come as no surprise to those who are familiar with the debut. Coltrane, Hutcherson and Hancock each take their place in the DNA of ‘Harmony Of Difference’ and so too, on ‘Integrity’, does Sergio Mendes.

A polished swagger abounds on ‘Perspective’, appearing as the mists clear following the denouement of ‘Knowledge’. The song-suite nature of the EP is a joy and should ensure that nobody is foolish enough to skip about looking for cheap thrills. The rich soundstage and vibrant performances captured here are irresistible and further proof that Washington is a rare talent. The focus on melody and the concept of musical counterpoint make for a tighter affair than ‘The Epic’ and length isn’t the only reason why listeners may find this an easier starting point.

The spiritual swirl of the lead track, ‘Truth’, is quite staggering and its early release as a teaser for the whole set prompted entirely deserved adoration from many corners. The aforementioned interwoven motifs from the five shorter tracks that precede it make for an emphatic, instantly familiar, almost transcendental conclusion that is so gloriously absorbing that it takes considerable resolve not to put the whole thing on again the second that it stops. While ‘Harmony Of Difference’ will delight jazz fans, it is a truly incredible record irrespective of genre. If you are capable of feeling, you will find much to love here.

9/10

Words: Gareth James

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